Formation - Filter Theory Flashcards
What is the filter theory? -Kertchoff and Davis
-Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) proposed that during courtship people successively filter down ‘field of possibles’, those people with whom a relationship is possible, to a field of desirables’, those people with whom they would like a long-term relationship.
-Successful relationships pass through 3 filters in order:
i) Social demographic variables: In order to start a relationship two people have to know that each other exists.
-Partners need to have something in common
with each other, say location (school) or an activity club. —-They usually also need to be accessible to each other to ensure the relationship can be maintained.
ii) Attitudes: Having attitudes and beliefs in common (say religion, politics, and lifestyle) is regarded as a factor that contributes to each person becoming attractive to the other. This encourages further development of the relationship. Allows common discussion between partners too to develop the relationship.
iii) Complementarity of needs: Here, each partner needs to have their own emotional needs met by their partner as well as being able to meet the emotional needs of their partner.
A03 - Supporting Research - Duke University
-Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) conducted a longitudinal study of 94 dating couples at Duke University in the US. —-Each partner in the couple completed two questionnaires assessing the degree to which they shared attitudes and values, and also the degree of need complementarity.
-Seven months after the initial testing, the
couples completed a further questionnaire assessing how close they felt to their partner compared to how they felt at the beginning of the study.
-Findings: For those couples that had been seeing each other for less than eighteen months, similarity of attitudes and values was the most significant
predictor of how close they felt to their partner.
-For those who had been dating for more than 18 months, only complementarity of needs was predictive of how close each individual felt to their partner.
-This supports the filter theory notion that demography, attitudes and complimentary of needs are all important factors in the formation of romantic relationships.
-However, we must apply these findings with caution: the study was conducted in 1962, only in the US and on university students, so they may not be generalisable outside of this population.
A03 - Temporal Validity - Change of womens role
-A possible explanation for the lack of replication is that the filter theory lacks temporal validity.
-That is, the theory might rightly explain relationships at the time of the original study, but the passing of time may have altered the way in which relationships progress.
-The time at which the data was collected for
the two studies – late 1950s
- The expected place of women in society will have changed dramatically for some, from striving to be a competent housewife in the 1950s to enjoying the promiscuity of the mid/late 1960s.
-Hence, The Filter Theory may not be relevant in a society where social media, internet relationships and the
role and expectation of women have changed.
A03 - Culture Bias - Arranged Marriages
-As the research on romantic relationships is predominantly based in the USA, it is tempting to disregard the whole theory as being culturally biased towards Western relationships.
-However, when one considers arranged marriages,
(approximately 60% of all marriages) these relationships are likely to be based on each partner having social/demographic variables and attitudes/beliefs in common, e.g. religion.
-Nevertheless, the consideration of complementarity of emotional needs is likely to be ignored at the expense of the gain of the wider family.
- Hence, the third filter is unlikely to be appropriate for arranged marriages, so questioning the comprehensiveness and generalisability of the Filter Theory in the formation
of romantic relationships.
